Piezoelectric crystal holder



Sept. 20, 1949. J. B. ADAMS, JR

PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTAL HOLDER Filed Jue 7, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l im 1 wlln Sept 20, 1949- .1. B. ADAMS, JR

PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTAL HOLDER Sheets-sneec 2 Filed June 7 1945 INVENTOR. James Bfldams, Jn

Sept. 20, 1949. I J. B. ADAMS, JR I 2,482,451

PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTAL HOLDER Filed June '7, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lv y IN VEN TOR.

James B. dams,Jr..

Patented Sept. 20, 1949 2,482,451 PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTAL HOLDER James B. Adams,

mesne assignments,

Sylvania Jr., Baltimore, Md., assignor, by

to Reeves Hoffman Corporation, Carlisle, Pa., a corporation of Penn- Application June 7, 1945, Serial No. 598,071

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in piezo-electric devices and has particular relation to an improved holder for such devices.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown, However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifi-cations as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: f

Fig. 1 is an isometric view showing the complete holder of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the entire device, taken as along the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device as along the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, along the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken as along the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig, 2;

Fig. 6, is an isometric view showing the various internal parts in relation ready for assembly;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view with parts broken away, showing certain internal parts assembled and partially inserted into the housing;

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of an end closure assembly; n

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view, with the chase and various parts in their proper positions within the housing and illustrating the manner of inserting the contacts at the outer sides of the electrodes and the assembly of the base on the housing; Y

Fig. 10 is an elevational view, with parts broken away as suggested by the line IIIe-l0 of Fig. 11, showing a slightly different structure;

Fig. 11 is a similar view but taken at right angles to Fig. l0, the break being as suggested by the line II-II of Fig. 10;

Fig, 12 is a sectional view, showing a further modification of the base assembly, the view being in section as suggested by the line I2 -I2 of Fig. 13;

taken as Fig. 13 is a sectional viewas alongthe line I3--I3 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a front elevational view of the chase illustrating the manner in which the same is adapted to receive another size electrode assembly.

Referring in detail to the drawings and at iirst more particularly to Figs. 1 through 9, at Ill is generally indicated a metal housing. This housing is of a plated ferrous metal or of a non-ferrous metal, as Monel metal, and preferably is a drawn structure whereby it is seamless. Prior to assembly of the completed device, the housing I0 is open at one end as at II (see Fig. 9) and the wall I2 of its opposite end is provided with a small opening I3, the purpose of which will be set forth.

Housing I0 is adapted to rather snugly receive an assembly including a hollow chase generally designated I4. This chase is of an insulating material, for example, molded plastic, a molded combination of powdered glass and mica (sold commercially as Mycalex), steatite, or glass, and includes a rear wall I5, an end wail I6, end wall portions I1 and I8, the sidewalls I9 and 20. Thus the chase is open at its front side, and in addition, has an opening 2| ,between its end wall sections I'I and I8 and substantially midway between the side walls I9 and 2li.

Directly opposite the open front side of the chase, the back wall I5 of the latter is thickened, providing a forwardly projecting pad-like extension 22. The interior of the chase is formed to provide a scalloped effect in that (see particularly Fig. 2) thetop and side walls and thebottom wall sections include inwardly extending projections 23, each of which is radiused at its inner end for a limited and tangential engagement with certain parts to be received within the chase.

Such parts include a piezo-electric oscillator plate 24, electrodes 25 and 26 disposed' at opposite sides of said plate, and provided with integral raised corner portions 21 on their inner faces. The manner of the formation of these raised corners is immaterial but they may be provided by offsetting forwardly the corners of the electrodes. These electrodes are of approximately the size of the oscillator plate, and when they are forced or clamped against opposite sides of the latter, serve to support it from its corners only, leaving 3 a pre-determined air gap between each electrode and the adjacent main surface of the oscillator plate.

When the parts are assembled in the chase, electrode 26 is disposed toward the .pad 22 on the` back wall of the chase, oscillator plate 24 is disposed against electrode 25, and electrode 25 is against the outer side of the oscillator plate. Then, an insulating plate 23 of approximately the size of the electrodes is located against the outer` side of electrode 25 and a suitable pressure applying n'fieansiv as; for example; a's'p'ring! 129;'is disposedfagainst the"\oiter sideofiinsula't'or 28. Here it is noted that the electrodes and oscillator plate are of such size as to fit between and tan. gentially engage the apices of the Yprojectionsl?, on the inner surfaces of the cha'se. ftethe "described parts have been assembledain the chase i4, the assembly is insertediintohousingii mtas suggested in Fig. '7, the springiZ9=fbeingiiheldiiilat or substantially so.

After the chase assembly is'withinthe--housing a closure assembly is applied and the entire `device sealed up with solder. The closure assembly generaly designated 30 includes a hollow metal shell y3i, comprising ian end'wallf32 and a' sidewall 33, adapted to be received within the open endportion oi'housinglil. ffShellSl isl formed of a'plated ferrous metal for' of a-non'ferrous metal, as'Mo'riel metalga's in the case offthehousing10. A'pairfof eyelets 34 and 35 are located one in each of alpa'ir of `openingsformed in'fthe shell wall '32. -These eyelets areiformed 'ofV amaterial such as Monel. 1 Substantially"centrally located in the= :eyelets 34 andB arecontact'makingfprongs'36 and'3-Iirel 'sp'ectively These prongsare secured within-the 4eyelets 'and' insulatedifro'mf the ylatter b5/:insulatingringsf38 land 39vrespectively.' Such rings may "be of glass, lplastic o'rMycaleX"(whichflatternomprises amolded combination of powdered glass and mica) molded-in'iplace "underconditionsiof high pressure and temperature. The Mycalexhas a' greater resiliencyfandl -elasticity `and'flience,

with'st'andslthermalfand mechanical? shoclfibetter than' glass. TheTmoldedfplasticis betterthan transmission co-efficient `than' either lglass for Mycalex.

when the insulator rings areofielass,fffoll'wine` 50 with-the assur-reassembly infpiace, as described,

the molding tneyfare completely annealeto'fremovel strain. Infaddition'V Cto"v "the fabovef-f iti? is pointed 'out' that the material o'f' these' 'eyeletshas at least as great a co-eiicie'ntofthelmalexpanand the insulator rings are secured in place in that the eyelets are soldered to the shell 3l as at 4l. This solder in addition to physically securing the parts together acts to form a gas-tight seal be- 5 tween the eyelets and the shell 3|.

Contact members 42 and 43 are attached to the inner ends of the prongs 36 and 3l respectively. Thus the complete closure assembly 30 comprises a shell 3 I, a pair of eyelets 34 and 35, a pair 10 of prongs 36 and 31, and the pair of anchoring and 1i15'-'and each comprises an electrode engaging elon- ,gatedarm-44,-and an offset portion 45, carrying a laterally extending foot portion 46. The contact 'i elementszxare `arranged opposite one another wherebyftheffeotlortion 46 of element 43 is at- 20 rtcl.'lecf"`at v'4'Iftothe inner end of prong 31, while the foot portlon1`y46 of element 42 is attached at 4l-to"theinner.end of prong 38. In the closure assembly the distance between the arms 44 of the respective contact members is substantially the 25 distance between the duter faces of the electrodes 'f25 andl.

'-'iWith the chasefassein'blyinihousingl 0 as above 'fldesc'ribedg vandithe?closure:assembly completed, as described immediately above, the arms 44 `of the 301'contact= members fare-'inserted i through the open endloifthefcasingfl B fandfthe fopening V2 I ythrough ltheilower endl'of -'the"ch'a'se"i l4i11and enter-at the outer sidesfofftheelectrodesZ5Jand326. From this, itvlil'lfbe' understood that'thecontact arms enter o and from the latter it will beclearthat a continued Jtelescopic movement of housing I 0 l and closure assembly 3lthwa`rdI one anotherfwill rel sult'in the entrance-hf 'the lwall portion 33 -of shell U31 into' the casing-il D? T-This movement is continued until the parts reach the positionsfdfnigs; 2 and 3 edges engaging the lower surfaces of the bottom wall'portlons IPandw respectivelyfof 'chase "-l 4.

it -will 'beclear thatthe spring29facts to force the contacti42 `ragainslfthe-J outer side fof' electrode `-2 5 andf'toforce :the 'outerside'off electrode 2 6 against conta-c9343. In iturn', theflast mentioned contact x'vliereby thev latterhave a fconipre'ssiorif or-matchthe eyelets are of a-materialthatwill -rea'dilyfoxidizeJ-*The oxide formed must!beof'theJtypthat 6G is wet and dissolved by the glassV or" theglas's' iii-'fthe 'l Mycalex whereby tov establish a Sealbetweenthe ring's39'and the pins and eyelets.

v'lProngs3 and 31 have aiv co-efcientlofexpansion substantially' thesamey as` that of the pl'astic G glass or compound v of powderedlglassi andinica.

.a Within thmolded ririg's38 and'39 the prongsfare Y provided 'witnannular flangesfor shoulders :'40fassisting Ain physically securing' the prongsflin'the rings; and' in addition, serving to provide afgasproof seal between' the parts. For'thepurposfof improving the mechanical`A bondA between'ith'e` eyelets vand insulator l 'rings' the: eyelets' mayfberinternally knurled. I Thdmold'ed sub-'assemblies Vtheir corners'arerheld =rmlyiagainst the oscillator plate 24. i" eChasetl 4 effectively'insulates contact 43'from?thelcasing Il 0 andfthelfplateiZ 8v insulates spring 29 from contact 42. Thus with the assistv'anceof the!msulatingringBB-and39 allparts are vlfullyinsulated from fthe'metalhousing and end Lclosure.

j solderedto =the casingl 0 fas vxat48. v As shown; a f D small trough is formed between the extremeends joint all along the walll3'3 between? thelatterland 'Ftheifadjacent"wallffportionsiof :casing 1l0. The fl solder-'serves .-toffphysicallyf connectrthe closure rassembly tocasing al 0, land@ in f addition,f:'provides comprising the respective'prongsand their eyeletsi' a gas-tight seal between these parts. Heat used inthe soldering peration'serves to cause' ex-*L pansion'of the gas or air within the housing and opening I3 is inthe nature of a vent permitting easy escape of the expanded air or gas. Thus is preventedany distortion or likelihood of distortion` of the parts or the formation of blowholes in the solder, since no substantial pressure isk built up within the housing.

After the parts 'are cool or substantially cool, a solder pellet 49 is used to seal the opening I3. As the parts are cool/when pellet 49 is used there will be nov vacuum within the holder. TheA solder 4| about the' eyelets' 34 and 35, andthe solder 4s,

is preferably, in each instance, applied in the form of a washer, heated after being positioned, whereby to flow in place and secure the parts together and form gas-tight connections between them. However, it is noted that the solder 4I about eyelets 34 and 35 has a higher melting point than the solder used at 48 and 49.

Referring now to Figs. 10 and 11, there is shown a modification including a metal casing generally designated 59,'which is the same as or at leastr similar tothe casing Ill 'first mentioned and de'- scribed. The open end of kcasing 50 is closed by an end closure assembly, generally designated 5I, and comprising a metal shell of the material of andcorresponding to' shell 3|, including end wall 53 and side walls 54, which latter are adapted to telescopically receive the open end portion of casing 59. Wall, 53 of shell 52 is pierced to provide a pair of v` spaced openings, each surrounded by a slightly inwardly directed flange 55, and these flanges substantially embrace eyelets 56, corresponding with the eyelets 34, and 35, first described.

Glass, a plastic, a mixture of powdered glass and mica, or the like is molded within the eyelets 55 about a pair of prongs 51 and 58 (corresponding with the prongs 36 and 31 first described) forming insulating rings 59, corresponding with the rings 38 and 39 first described. Solder washers 50 serve to unite the eyelets with the flanges 55, to form gas-tight seals between the eyelets and the shell 52. As will be understood, casing 59 contains the chase and other parts, as described in connection with Figs. 1 through 9, and closure assembly 5I includes contact members attached to the inner ends of the prongs 51 and 58.

The modification consists essentially in the formation of the flanges 55 and in the fact that in Figs. and 11 the open end portion of the casing telescopes into the end closure whereas in Figs. 1 through 9 the end closure telescopes into the open end of the casing. A solder washer 6I about the open end of shell 52 serves to unite the same with the casing 5u and a sweat solder joint is formed between the side walls 54 of shell 52 and the adjacent wall portions of casing 59. This casing 50 may be provided with a small vent opening closed by a soldered pellet (not shown) as in the case of the opening I3 and the solder pellet i3 of the figures first described.

Referring now to the modifications of Figs. 12 and 13, there is shown only an end closure assemly 32 to be used with any suitable casing, as for example with the casing I0. Assembly 62 comprises the metal shell 63 of the material of and corresponding to shells 3I and 5I, including an end wall 54 and side walls 65.

Shell 83 is of a metal having a co-efflcient of expansion the same as orvslightly greater than 'that of the body 6B, to which the shell is molded, whereby the shell has a compression or matching seal'about such 'body'66 when the parts Vhave cooled. Body 66 is a molded compound of pow-vr dered glass and mica (Mycalex) or the like, fand includes portions B1 projecting through openings in the shell wall 54 and over-lapping both surfaces of the wall about the edges `of such opening, whereby the parts are mechanically united. Additionally, an effective seal is obtained between such parts as they are of readily oxidizable metal as in the case of the eyelets and pins above described.

Prongs 68 and 69 (corresponding with the prongs 36 and 31, 51 and 58) have portions molded into the body 66, andwithin the body such prongs include annular shoulders 1U, assisting in forming a mechanical connection between the prongs and the body and, in addition, functioning to assist in providing a gas-proof seal between the parts. Contact members 1I and 12 are attached as at 13 to the inner ends of the prongs 68 and 69 respectively, and such contact members correspond with and arevof the construction of the contact members 42 and 43 described above. f f

In lieu of the shoulders or flanges 10, the prongs `58 and 59 may be knurled within portions to which the glass or plastic body is molded and, Y for the purpose of a mechanical connection and aseal, the prongs might be grooved to provide shoulders. These described variations of the knurling or grooving of the prongs'when they are to be molded in a plastic or glass may be applied to the prongs of the Figs. 1 through 11 if desired. However, where the insulating rings or the insulating body 66 are of a molded compound of powdered glass and mica the shouldered or flanged type of prongs are the only ones to mold satisfactorily.

In Fig. 2 the chase is shown receiving an electrode assembly having a greater length than width. However, this chase is also adapted to receive a different size, as a square, electrode assembly. Thus in Fig. 14 the chase 14 (corresponding with chase I4 of Fig. 2) is shown receiving a square electrode assembly 15. The assembly of Fig. 2 may measure .5" by .6" while the assembly 15 may measure .5" by .5". To t the latter assembly in the chase the assembly is rotated through approximately 45 degrees and the corners of the assembly are receiving in a pair of the recesses I6 provided by the scalloped inner edge construction of the chase. This is a real advantage as the present chase is thus adapted for receiving different sizes and shapes of electrode assemblies.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A piezo crystal device comprising metal casing having an open end, a hollow chase of insulating material within said casing and open at one side and having an opening through an end facing toward the open end of said casing, a crystal assembly in said chase and including a crystal, electrodes at each side of said crystal, an insulator over the electrode toward the open side of the chase, and a spring means bearing against said insulator and the inner surface of the side wall of said casing and constantly urging said crystal assembly toward the rear wall of said chase, a pair of contact elements including arm portions at the outer sides of the respective electrodes, a metallic end closure closing the open end of said housing, a pair of contact prongs carried by extending through and insulated from said metallic end closure, said contact elements attached to the inner ends of 

